Melvin gleason



(No Mode-l.) I

M. GLEASON.

. SGRBW PROPELLBR. N0.-541,480. Patented June 25, 1895.

ATTEIZ'EIT INVENT'EII? WMW- 94m;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

MELVIN GLEASON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO HENRYSTEINHAUER, CHRISTIAN STOOKE, AND THEODORE WIEBELT, OF

SAME PLACE.

SCREW-PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,480, dated June 25,1895.

I Application filed February 25 1895. Serial No. 539,575. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN GLEASON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw- Propellers; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to. improvements in screw propellers, and theinvention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the rear end ofa boat or vessel in which my improvement is shown as it appears when inuse. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of my improved form of screw and theinclosing-casing therefor. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improvedscrew and alongitudinal section of the casing inclosing the same on aline corresponding to 3 3, Fig. 2.

The object of the foregoing construction is to soimprove the propellingmechanism coming directly in contact with the water as to produceandobtain greater propelling power than hitherto in screw propellers of acorresponding size or grade; or, to state the matter differently, toobtain greater propelling power by reason of the improved mechanism froma given amount of power applied through the drive shaft. This result issecured by reason, first, of the difference in the construction of thescrew blades, and, secondly, by reason of the inclosure or confinementof the blades by means of easing forming a jacket therefor but open atits ends, substantially as hereinafter described.

Thus, A represents the stern of a boat or vessel, large or small, as thecase may be, and B a suitable rudder.

C, Fig. 3, shows the outlines of my novel screw blades, and two or moreof these blades may be used according to the size of the boat or vessel.

It will be noticed that each blade has a twist or curve its entirelength and breadth, corre-- sponding in construction and appearance sub=stantially to the worm of an auger, and that it is continuous and spiralfrom point 2 to point 4:, as seen in Fig. 3, and all of the blades aremade alike in these particulars and are affixedto or constitute a partof a common hub 3 secured on the shaft D. This shaft D is the powershaft of the propelling screw and is actuated by any suitable powerconnection.

In my experiments and demonstrations of the utility of my constructionof blade, I have found thatto economize the power and to make the bladeas efficient as can be, and thereby greatly facilitate the speed of theboat, it is necessary to confine the blades or wings 0 about theirsides, and thereby make the thrust of the screw in the line of thedirection of travel rather than to permit it to waste its power bychurning the water at its sides and taking in and casting thewater outsidewise, which is almost a total loss of power in so far as thisoccurs. 1 have, therefore, confined the propeller blades within'acylinder E, which is suitably supported independent of the screw, inthis instance on the keel bar G and by stays 5 from above, or theirequivalent. This cylinder or inclosing case is of a size in cross section to allow free rotation of the screw, and of somewhat less lengththan the screw in order that the screw may project beyond the cylinderat each end and thereby make the construction self protecting. Thus,having the blades to extend beyond the casing as shown,

they will strike any obstruction that may be yond the cylinder at bothends, so that they,

will operate alike whether the boat be going forward or backward, and atthe same time the casing is of sufficient depth lengthwise to serve thepurpose for which it is intended.

I am, of course, aware that others have made spiral propeller blades andthat they have used inclosing cylinders with wings of a cer-' This Ihave found to be tain kind, andsueh I do not broadly claim. I do,however, claim the particular construction of blade used by me to beboth novel and exceptionally powerful, especially in combination with acasing which incloses the blade between its ends and causes the volumeof water coming within reach of the blade to be thrown Wholly to therearward, thus prodncing a density and force out of which the specialand particular form of screw I use emerges with phenominal speed.

WVhat I claim is The combination of the boat, the cylinder open at bothends and fixed rigidly to the stern thereof, the power shaft extending 1stantially as set forth.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 12th day ofFebruary, 1805.

MELVIN GLEASON. Witnesses:

H. T; FISHER, M. G. NORTON.

